Price of diesel down, gasoline up next week

THE price of diesel is expected to drop by as much as P10 next week, while that of gasoline will rise by P1. The estimates are based on the Mean of Platts, Singapore (MOPS), the pricing basis of refined goods in Southeast Asia. A local oil industry source said “renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have caused the MOPS prices and premiums to rebound during the past two trading days, in turn reducing the potential rollback for diesel next week.” Diesel continued its sharp price decline, slashed by P24.94 per liter this week. In a related development, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has stepped up its monitoring of “gas-and-run” incidents — motorists leaving gasoline stations after filling up without paying. PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said recent cases, including those in Metro Manila, are still considered “isolated” but are being closely analyzed. “While we treat these as isolated cases for now, we are not letting our guard down. We are analyzing the patterns to ensure this doesn’t evolve into a common modus operandi,” Nartatez said in a statement. On April 21, two gas-and-run suspects were arrested by police in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City. Police said a motorist driving a white Toyota Vios took P1,500 worth of fuel and fled toward Barangay Commonwealth without paying. The case is the second reported in Metro Manila within a month. On March 22, a 27-year-old transport network vehicle service driver later surrendered after fleeing a gas station in Balintawak, Quezon City, with P5,196 worth of unpaid fuel. Nartatez has ordered police units to boost visibility, particularly in high-risk and 24-hour establishments, and to work with private businesses to enhance CCTV coverage and real-time reporting. In a press briefing on Friday, PNP spokesman Randulf Tuaño reported that 77 individuals have been arrested over various fuel-related crimes, including hoarding and profiteering, as of Thursday. Tuano said the PNP recorded nine incidents of hoarding, one case of profiteering and 21 other violations, including “paihi,” an illegal fuel pilferage scheme. Based on PNP monitoring, 287 of the country’s 14,529 gas stations remained closed as of April 23 due to supply constraints linked to the war in the Middle East.

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